AustLit

'Bildungsromane are often debut or early novels by writers who relate part of their youthful experiences by means of an archetypal growing-older-and-wiser narrative in which the adolescent theme is paired with other concerns such as growth, identity and independence. This article examines the strong Bildungsroman streak which pervades half of Koch’s multifaceted novels by highlighting the main characteristics of the genre. The discussion of the transformation element in these novels, of tensions between change and changelessness, and of the writer’s conceptual use of metaphors, will draw attention to Koch’s postcolonial project.'

Source: Abstract.